ITEC is a missionary organization geared to create new and more efficient ways to spread the Christian word.

Ron Lytle, an ITEC staff member, said staffers were at the crash scene Monday. Saint is in Virginia doing a series of speeches.

Guthrie was returning to Dunnellon after towing a banner earlier that day, said Jesse Saint, son of ITEC founder Steve Saint.

Guthrie was a commercial pilot and experienced aircraft mechanic, according to a statement released by Steve Saint.

“We are determined that Josh's dream of using airplanes to take comfort and hope to hurting people ‘Beyond Roads' will live on as a memorial to our friend and Partner,” the statement said.

Guthrie attended Geneva College to study missionary aviation, according to his website.

Joining the ITEC missionary organization was a new and welcomed chapter in his life.

“This is something I have been working toward since 2001...,” he wrote in a November blog entry. “This 9 year process has had its ups and downs but I am ready to start the race.”

He spent five years as a youth pastor at Cornerstone Church in Pittsburgh. He then became an aircraft mechanic at a flight school.

According to Guthrie's blog, he joined the missionary organization in January to test a program for burgeoning missionary pilots. The program allowed people like him to pay off debts and log flight hours.

Jesse Saint said Guthrie was working with Airsign Aerial Advertising Service towing commercial banners.

“A lot of young guys that want to be missionary aviators get done with their training and they're in debt and they don't have the experience that missionary organizations require,” he said.

It was with ITEC that he began flying the Maule aircraft, which had been donated to the missionary organization.

“She will be my ride (in the sky) this coming year as I help create this program to get missionary pilot candidates out of debt,” Guthrie wrote in a January blog entry.

He moved to Atlanta briefly, but Jesse Saint said Guthrie was still based in Dunnellon.

Being a missionary pilot was Guthrie's only focus, Saint said.

“One of the main frustrations he had was that he so badly wanted to be on the mission field,” Saint said.

After a near-accident during an Atlanta Braves game, Guthrie was unsure if he would stay in Atlanta or move back to Florida.

“It's hard to say what might happen. Your guess is as good as mine!,” he wrote in an early April entry. “But tomorrow is another day, and maybe just maybe more clarity is on its way.”

<p>Joshua Guthrie was at a crossroads.</p><p>The 28-year-old was working with a Dunnellon-based missionary group in hopes of becoming a missionary pilot.</p><p>“This new opportunity will allow me to spread my wings and fly both literally and figuratively,” he wrote in a January blog post.</p><p>It was while pursuing that opportunity he died.</p><p>Guthrie was killed Sunday evening after the airplane he was piloting crashed shortly after takeoff.</p><p>Authorities are still piecing together what happened, but a witness said Guthrie took off shortly after 7 p.m. from the Orlando North Airpark in Zellwood, about 20 miles northwest of Orlando.</p><p>The witness heard a “popping” noise before black smoke plumed from the 1977 Maule single-engine craft.</p><p>The plane crashed into a field at the end of the runway and burst into flames, killing Guthrie, who was the lone occupant, aviation officials said.</p><p>A National Transportation Safety Board inspector will investigate the wreckage and issue a preliminary cause report in two weeks, according to NTSB officials.</p><p>Guthrie was headed to Dunnellon, headquarters of Indigenous People's Technology and Education Center. Its founder, Steve Saint, identified Guthrie.</p><p>ITEC is a missionary organization geared to create new and more efficient ways to spread the Christian word.</p><p>Ron Lytle, an ITEC staff member, said staffers were at the crash scene Monday. Saint is in Virginia doing a series of speeches.</p><p>Guthrie was returning to Dunnellon after towing a banner earlier that day, said Jesse Saint, son of ITEC founder Steve Saint.</p><p>Guthrie was a commercial pilot and experienced aircraft mechanic, according to a statement released by Steve Saint.</p><p>“We are determined that Josh's dream of using airplanes to take comfort and hope to hurting people 'Beyond Roads' will live on as a memorial to our friend and Partner,” the statement said.</p><p>Guthrie attended Geneva College to study missionary aviation, according to his website.</p><p>Joining the ITEC missionary organization was a new and welcomed chapter in his life.</p><p>“This is something I have been working toward since 2001...,” he wrote in a November blog entry. “This 9 year process has had its ups and downs but I am ready to start the race.”</p><p>He spent five years as a youth pastor at Cornerstone Church in Pittsburgh. He then became an aircraft mechanic at a flight school.</p><p>According to Guthrie's blog, he joined the missionary organization in January to test a program for burgeoning missionary pilots. The program allowed people like him to pay off debts and log flight hours.</p><p>Jesse Saint said Guthrie was working with Airsign Aerial Advertising Service towing commercial banners.</p><p>“A lot of young guys that want to be missionary aviators get done with their training and they're in debt and they don't have the experience that missionary organizations require,” he said.</p><p>It was with ITEC that he began flying the Maule aircraft, which had been donated to the missionary organization.</p><p>“She will be my ride (in the sky) this coming year as I help create this program to get missionary pilot candidates out of debt,” Guthrie wrote in a January blog entry.</p><p>He moved to Atlanta briefly, but Jesse Saint said Guthrie was still based in Dunnellon.</p><p>Being a missionary pilot was Guthrie's only focus, Saint said.</p><p>“One of the main frustrations he had was that he so badly wanted to be on the mission field,” Saint said.</p><p>After a near-accident during an Atlanta Braves game, Guthrie was unsure if he would stay in Atlanta or move back to Florida.</p><p>“It's hard to say what might happen. Your guess is as good as mine!,” he wrote in an early April entry. “But tomorrow is another day, and maybe just maybe more clarity is on its way.”</p><p>The Associated Press contributed to this report.</p>